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A Naval Biographical Dictionary/James, James

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1768463A Naval Biographical Dictionary — James, JamesWilliam Richard O'Byrne

JAMES. (Commander, 1828. f-p., 48; h-p., 19.)

James James was born, 9 Aug. 1760, at Liverpool, and died 13 Nov. 1845.

This officer entered the Navy, 14 April, 1779, as Midshipman, on board the Duke 90, Capts. Sir Chas. Douglas, Sir Walter Stirling, and Alan Gardner, in which ship he participated in Rodney’s actions of 9 and 12 April, 1782, and on one of those occasions was severely wounded in the left leg. Between June, 1783, and his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant, 16 Nov. 1790, he successively served on the Home station in the Scipio 64, Capt. John Nicholson Inglefield, Irresistible, Capt. Sir Andrew Snape Hamond, Scipio again, Director, Capt. Thos. West, and Courageux 74, Capt. Sir A. Gardner. After an employment of three years on the coast of Ireland in the Medusa, Capt. Jas. Newman Newman, he obtained an appointment, in July, 1794, in the Transport service, and was sent to the West Indies. On 24 May, 1797, as a reward for the conduct he had exhibited in the Prince 98, flag-ship of Sir Roger Curtis, during the never-to-be-forgotten mutiny, Mr. James was nominated to the command of the Hasty gun-brig. He afterwards, in Feb. 1798, and May, 1803, assumed charge of the Eagle and Matilda prison and hospital ships at Gillingham and Woolwich; and, from 1 Aug. 1804 until the receipt of his second promotal commission, bearing date 1 July, 1828, he commanded the Argonaut hospital-ship at Chatham. The remainder of his life was passed on half-pay.

Commander James married, first, in 1789, Miss Lucy Gifford and secondly, in 1800, Miss Margaret Copp. He has left two children by each marriage.